Join a running club for support

Some people really enjoy running by themselves. But most people like to run with others, at least a few days a week. And if you’re training for your first marathon, it really can help to do your weekly long run with at least one other person.

If you’re new to running and haven’t found a training buddy yet, ask friends, neighbors, colleagues or employees at your local health club if they know of potential partners, clubs or groups. Local running specialty stores often sponsor weekly runs for whoever cares to show up, and they may also sponsor actual running clubs and marathon training groups, especially if your city holds a marathon.

Finally, the Web site Running in the USA has a database of nearly 1,000 U.S. clubs, while the USA Track & Field site has a database listing more than 2,000 running clubs.

Add a new page for your club!

Got a great running club? Add a page dedicated to your group where you can post photos, training tips, marathon stories, runner profiles, and more. It's easy! Here's how to do it:

• Under step 1, "Confirm page location" by making sure it says "Training Clubs and Groups."
• Under step 2, give your page a name.
• Click "Add page."
• You can now go to your new page, click "EasyEdit", and start typing or add photos.

That's all there is to it!